Han Wenjuan still cared about her daughter, and as long as Jiang Zexi wasn't foolish, he would know what to do.
Besides, Xia Wanfu had done quite a lot for the Xia family.
If it truly came to that point, preserving evidence would be the most sensible move.
With matters here settled, Ling Yuchen returned to the Ling family.
He couldn't stay away indefinitely; he still had his pregnant little wife to care for at home.
However, with Li Bowen and Situ Jun present, he could rest assured.
"I'm heading back now. Call me if anything comes up."
Jiang Zexi nodded, watching Ling Yuchen leave before his expression turned grim.
Xia Wanfu had told him nothing, and he hadn't noticed her abnormality. It was precisely because of this that such a huge accident had occurred.
He knew Xia Wanfu was afraid of bothering him, but the greater reason was her difficulty in speaking about it, given how disgraceful her birth family was.
But she had underestimated his love for her, so now, besides anger, there was only heartache.
After calming his emotions, Jiang Zexi, carrying the food container, exited the stairwell. Li Bowen and Situ Jun were waiting for him outside the intensive care unit.
One was video calling on his phone, the other was working on a laptop.
This scene warmed his heart.
When Su Jinning left five years ago, they had also stayed by his side like this.
"You two don't need to wait here. Go attend to your own matters!"
Situ Jun didn't even look at him, continuing with his video conference.
Li Bowen also ignored him, instead saying to the person on the video, "Baby, I have something else to attend to, so we'll end here."
Wen Xuanyuan pouted and said proudly, "Okay, then come see me in a few days. I miss you."
"Okay."
"Kiss me, quickly," Wen Xuanyuan cooed.
Li Bowen's heart melted, and he said dotingly with a smile, "Kiss kiss, baby, mua."
Situ Jun, even while on his call, couldn't help but glance over, goosebumps rising all over him, looking like he was about to vomit.
As soon as the video call ended, he couldn't help but complain, "Ugh, kiss kiss, baby, gag..."
Li Bowen paid him no mind, the smile on his face undiminished, feeling sweet to his core.
Jiang Zexi, however, said mildly, "When you're in a relationship, you'll know how blissful this is."
He raised his eyes to look at Xia Wanfu on the hospital bed, a hint of loneliness flashing in his eyes.
His wife would call him Brother Zexi and act cute, but she had never asked him for a kiss.
Just then, someone patted his shoulder. He turned his head to see Li Bowen.
"Don't worry, she'll be fine."
"Yeah, we don't need to thank each other. Once I get through this difficult period, I'll treat you to drinks."
Situ Jun teased, "Forget the drinks. You two lovebirds just stop flaunting your affection in front of me."
Li Bowen immediately retorted, "All day long you boast about charming girls, but I've never seen you in a serious relationship. Now, out of the four of us, you're the only single one. And you have the nerve to talk?"
This silenced Situ Jun completely. Despite his carefree demeanor, he had never even been in a relationship.
But he still maintained his tough front, saying, "This young master has waltzed through countless flowers, leaving not a single petal attached."
"You're all talk and no action," Jiang Zexi said, looking him up and down. His gaze seemed to hold a different meaning for a fleeting moment.
Li Bowen coughed lightly, his expression slightly unnatural, while Situ Jun didn't grasp the implication of Jiang Zexi's words.
At that moment, a nurse opened the door of the intensive care unit.
"Xia Wanfu's family, the patient's condition is stabilizing. You may have a brief visit."
Upon hearing this, a hint of hidden joy flashed in Jiang Zexi's eyes. He strode towards the room with long legs, impatient to enter.
Under the nurse's guidance, he underwent full disinfection and changed into a sterile gown before he could approach Xia Wanfu.
From outside the room, he could only see her profile and vague outline.
It wasn't until he drew closer that he could see the shocking wounds clearly.
Her head was heavily bandaged, the white gauze soaked with blood. Her face had numerous small and large abrasions, and the swelling and bruising were countless.
Her hand was in a cast due to a fracture. A white blanket covered her, but Jiang Zexi knew her injuries were more severe.
His heart ached indescribably, as if someone was churning inside his chest, making it impossible to breathe.
"Wife, does it hurt?"
"You must wake up. Recover well, and when you're better, I'll take you to your favorite seaside to take wedding photos."
"Don't be afraid. I'll be waiting for you outside until you're well."
"Why are you so foolish, not telling me anything?"
Jiang Zexi dared not touch the person on the bed, not even her hand, as if she were a fragile doll.
He spoke to her with tears in his eyes, his voice incredibly gentle, his gaze soft as water.
He chattered on, but Xia Wanfu showed no reaction, remaining in a deep slumber.
Jiang Zexi felt a profound sense of powerlessness in the face of birth, aging, sickness, and death. Humans were truly fragile. At such times, possessing anything was futile.
The brief visit was indeed brief.
Soon, a nurse came to inform him that the visiting hours were over. Jiang Zexi could only reluctantly turn and leave.
What he didn't see was that after he left, two clear tears streamed down Xia Wanfu's face.
As dusk deepened, the sunset painted the sky in a fiery hue.
Gong Zhijing stood under the long corridor, gazing at the setting sun, lost in thought. Her mood was complex, but relief was predominant.
If Xia Wanfu had not survived this accident, she would have felt immense sorrow.
It was then she realized that some resentments truly do dissipate with time.
Whether it was the Xia Linfeng couple or the Xia Wanfu siblings, she no longer held grudges.
However, to interact with them without reservation was still impossible for her, but she also didn't want to see them meet with misfortune.
Human nature was indeed complex.
She always remembered their nurturing kindness, but later discovered that her father had actually provided financial support.
Yet, it was undeniable that she owed Han Wenjuan a debt of gratitude for being able to live a stable life.
As she was lost in thought, a thick coat was draped over her shoulders.
Then, a pair of warm hands enveloped hers, and a familiar, magnetic voice sounded by her ear.
"Your hands are so cold, standing out here in a daze. What if you catch a cold?"
Gong Zhijing turned her head, and a familiar profile met her gaze. She joyfully exclaimed, "Ling Yuchen, you're back?"
She had thought he would stay at the hospital with Jiang Zexi tonight.
"I have a pregnant little wife to take care of at home. How could I stay away for long? You wouldn't be able to sleep if I didn't come back."
Gong Zhijing's face lit up with a radiant smile, and she lunged into his arms.
This startled Ling Yuchen greatly. He could only carefully shield her belly, saying helplessly, "Don't fool around, be careful of the baby."
"The baby is fine."
Gong Zhijing pressed her face against his chest, feeling an immense sense of peace at that moment.